A front-end loader on a tractor can be a very handy thing to have on the farm. Over the years, advancements in the designs of loaders for tractors have really come a long way, and frankly, advancements of the tractors themselves have improved not only the performance of the tractor and loader combination but the safety of their operation as well.
While we are on the topic of safety, it needs to be acknowledged that adding a loader to your tractor changes the balance of your machine in a significant way. Not only does adding a loader extend the overall weight of your tractor forward, it raises the center of gravity of the tractor as well.
Either of these phenomena, if unaccounted for, can produce deadly results. The first thing to consider is the load rating of the tractor’s front axle. Generally speaking, tractors with mechanical front-wheel drive (MFWD) have about 75% more carrying capacity than that of a regular two-wheel drive version of the same tractor.
However, MFWDs aren’t necessarily the strongest of all available configurations. Some tractors may offer straight front axles in their two- and four-wheel drive versions (much like what you might see on a backhoe) that offer even greater load-bearing capacity.
Once you know how much the front axle can withstand, you can make some adjustments to the weight of the rear of the tractor. You can do this in several ways, including adding fluid to your tires, adding axle weights or by adding ballast to the three-point hitch by various means.
Even the most neutrally balanced tractors – from front to rear – can still overturn if the loader is carried too high. The lower you can carry your load, the safer you are. A loader operated too high acts as a fulcrum and can cause the tractor to tip sideways at the first jostle from side to side. Even with no load at all, operating your machine with the loader all the way up can cause an overturn, which is a leading cause of death in tractor-involved accidents.
As we safely operate our front-end loaders, we can also be more productive now thanks to a variety of attachments available. Making these attachments even more handy is the fact that most, if not all, are available in quick-attach versions that make it almost effortless to go from one attachment to another.
Quick-attach loader accessories come mostly in three configurations: universal skid steer quick tach, global/euro hook and pin, and hook and pin. You can also purchase adapter plates that allow you to move from one configuration of attachment to another with not too much more effort.
For the most part, when we think of front-end loader tools, a bucket is the first attachment that comes to mind. Buckets come in a wide range of sizes, and again, knowing what your tractor is capable of withstanding is the first consideration. When using a bucket, the next consideration would have to be: “What is the weight or density of the material I am scooping up?”
Moving around something fluffy like dry mulch is very different than moving a denser material like ag lime or rock. When using a bucket, you also need to be aware of your load’s ability to unload itself. Self-leveling loaders may not be handy if your load can “slosh,” and a loader that isn’t self leveling can be rocked back to the point that the load topples out of the top of the bucket and traces its way back down the arms of the loader to the driver’s seat. Rolls of hay are especially bad for producing this type of disaster.
Moving hay is much easier with the addition of a bale spear, but again, many different versions are available. You can purchase spears that attach to the end of your bucket, but as we mentioned before, this also extends the weight of the load forward, making it easier to upset the tractor. Generally speaking, not only do we want to carry the load as low as possible, but we also want the load to be positioned as close to the arms of the loader as possible.
Pallet forks can be another handy attachment for your loader. Like hay spears, you can find forks that simply clamp onto your existing bucket, but just as we noted previously, this method also moves the load farther out in front of your tractor. Pallet forks come in different lengths and strengths, so it is important to know the tractor’s capacity and your application for the forks before you purchase them.
One attachment I have found to be very handy on my own front-end loader is a grapple. Grapples act as a giant hand to not only lift a load but also control it to an extent as well. I used to use my pallet forks to lift trees I was cutting for firewood. The forks worked much better than a bucket and a chain because I could scoop up the tree without leaving the tractor seat. Still, it took both time and experience to judge where to lift the tree at its center mass, which, as you could imagine, was never dead center. Adding to the challenge of using a pallet fork to lift trees was the danger of bending the forks by running them into the ground underneath the trunk on the initial lift. As easy as it is to bend a fork, they rarely bend equally, and they never get bent back straight!
Getting your pallet fork off just a few degrees can be a real pain when you are trying to unload a pallet from a flat surface like a truck or trailer bed. It is nearly impossible to line up the forks without penetrating the load in an unintended way. If that sounds a lot like the voice of experience, it’s because it is!
A grapple helps alleviate this altogether. Not only am I able to grip the trunk without digging underneath the tree, I can also lift the tree without being perfectly in the center of its weight. Depending on the size of the tree, you still have to have some idea of how the tree’s mass is distributed, but if you are off a bit, the tree can’t twist or flop off the loader as it could using forks.
These are just a few of the many different attachments you can readily find to make your tractor’s loader even more handy. Some, like the grapple, may require additional hydraulics to operate them. The amount of hydraulic oil flow and pressure needed by the attachment (such as a mower or limb saw) may limit what you can operate without damaging the tractor itself, but once those outlets are available, more tools become available and functional.
